Sculling mechanism

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for mannual steering and movement of a small boat or the like, mounted on the transom or stern of the boat, having a horizontally rotatable steering post rotated by a tiller, with the tiller mounted for up and down pivotal pumping movements to activate lateral connected blades mounted on the lower end of the steering post as a unit in the power or rearward stroke, and return them with pivotal resistance-lessening action on the return stroke, resembling the action of a duck&#39;&#39;s foot during swimming.

United States Patent [191 [451 Sept. 11, 1973 Golden SCULLING MECHANISM [76] Inventor: William Donald Golden, 6258 Ruthland Rd., Oakland, Calif. 9461 1 [22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1972 [211 App]. No.2 286,031

[52] U.S. Cl. 115/28, 115/29 [51] Int. Cl 1363b l/32 [58] Field of Search 115/28, 29, 30, 31,

[56] Reierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,110,283 11/1963 Warner 115/29 3,007,434 ll/1961 Laycox 115/31 2,987,030 6/1961 DeJean 115/28 R 2,979,018 4/1961 Birdsa1l.... 115/32 X 2,751,876 6/1956 Ogi1vie..... 115/32 X 2,696,797 12/1954 Whidden 115/28 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 872,772 7/1961 Great Britain 115/28 R Primary Examiner-Duane A. Reger Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. OConnor Att0rneyHenry Gifford Hardy 5 7 ABSTRACT and return them with pivotal resistance-lessening action on the return stroke, resembling the action of a ducks foot during swimming.

7 (3151153, Fig'lTre? PATENTEDSEPI 1 I973 SHEET 2 BF 2 l I7 I PIE- ,5.

SCULLING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the past when it has been desirable to move a small boat silently and quickly it has been necessary to either paddle or scull the boat from side to side which causes tishtailing, that is the boat cannot be pointed in the precise forward direction but its bow moves from side to side as the sculling proceeds. While paddling is and has been the accepted way to quietly move a small boat forward, nevertheless there is a certain amount of noise and activity which is distracting and which may react unfavorably in the maneuver being undertaken. In developing the sculling mechanism disclosed herein all of these detrimental factors have been considered with the result that a small boat can be propelled forward quietly and swiftly without fishtailing and without much visable effort. Thus the small boat is kept on course and moved so that the operator is in full control of the movement at all times.

The sculling device disclosed herein eliminates all of the disadvantages of the devices of the prior art and still provides an inexpensive light weight and easily portable piece of equipment. Hunters and fishermen will find it a most inventive and satisfactory means of propelling a small boat without distracting maneuvers.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy and ease of assembly and disassembly, also such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as are inherently possessed by the device and invention described herein.

The invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the same is illustrative of the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and change and comprehends other details of construction without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the use and operation of the equipment disclosed and described herein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the completed device on a larger scale and removed from the boat; 7

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the completed device.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the blade assembly on a slightly larger scale;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section of the blade assembly taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a progressive diagrammatic view of the blade action showing:

a. the position of the blade in the most rearward posipleted sculling mechanism is designated 10. The mechanism includes a vertical shaft 11 which is mounted for rotation within a clamp means 12 which surrounds the shaft 11. The clamp means 12 has a radial arm 14 with a downwardly projecting continuation 15, leaving a space 16 between the collar portion of the clamp 12 and the downwardly extending continuation 15. This collar clamp means 12 attaches in the same manner as the motor mount for an outboard motor. The space 16 receives the transom of a boat and is held in place with the conventional screw clamping means 17, or any other suitable manner. The downward end of the shaft 11 is fitted with a T-connector 181 having a transverse portion 20 and an axial bore or passage 21 therethrough. The shoulder of the vertical 22 portion of the T-connector 18, acts as a stop for the clamping device 12 to prevent upward withdrawal of the shaft 11 beyond this point. Immediately above the clamping means 12 is a slip collar 23 slideably attached to the shaft 11, the lower surface of which is positioned to en gage and bear against the upper face of the clamping means 12 so as to permit rotation of the shaft 11. The collar 23 is also for vertical adjustment of the mecha' .nism l0 and is held in the adjusted position on the shaft 11 by means of a set screw 24, for quick and easy control of the adjustment.

Adjacent the top of the shaft 11 is a rectangular slot 25 made diametrically through the wall of the tubular shaft 11, at right angles to the axis of the bore 21 of the T-connector 18. The upper end of the shaft 17 is capped or filled in any suitable manner, but shown herein as plug 26. Also in the shaft 11, at right angles to the slot 25 and midway between the ends thereof is a hole 27, through which passes the shank 28 of bolt 31. The shank 28 acts as a fulcrum for the tiller lever 30 which in the assembly of the mechanism, passes through the slot 25 and is positioned therein approximately midway of the slot 25 by means of the nut and bolt 31. It is apparent that all this can be made in a single cast fitting for ease of assembly.

Immediately below the T-Connector l8 and coplanar with the axis of the bore 21, there are three blades 23, 33 and 34. These three blades are substantially wider in a transverse plane (see FIGS. 2 and 4) than the remainder of the mechanism 10 and are provided with relatively flat surfaces 32', 33' and 34' on the inboard faces thereof. The marginal edges 35, 36 and 37 respectively at either side are turned outwardly from the face at an angle of about and act as stiffeners for each blade. Obviously the stiffeners do not necessarily have to be in the marginal edges as shown but may be placed suitably along the back surface of the blades as desired. However, the marginal stiffeners provide another function, i.e., to hold the water against the blades on the power stroke and so are best positioned .as shown. These marginal stiffeners 35, 36 and 37 adjacent their junction points are each cut back with a 45 angle as in 38, so as not to interfere with the free swinging movement of the blades 32, 33 and 34 on the return stroke. Blade 32 is provided with laterally bored spaced lands 40 to receive hinge pin 41 which passes through the lands 40 and bore 21' of the T-connector 18, to hingedly mount the blade 32. The lower edge of the blade 32 is provided with horizontally bored spaced lands 42 to receive the complimentary bored spaced lands 43 formed along the top edge of the blade 33. In this manner blades 32 and 33 are hinged together by means of hinge pin 44. The lower portion of blade 33 is provided with spaced lands 45 which are horizontally bored and receive there between the complimentary spaced and bored lands 46 along the upper edge of blade 34. Blades 33 and 34, are thus hinged together by means of the hinge pin 47. Thus, blades 32,33 and 34 are hinged together serially or in a sequence. Each of the hinge pins 44 and 47 is provided with a radially projecting holding pin 48 substantially at its midpoint. The pin 48 is placed in position after the hinging is accomplished. It is to be noted that the bottom edge of the blade 34 has a portion 50 turned upwardly and outwardly about 45.

The hinge pins 44 and 47 are spring loaded by means of twin springs 52 which are retained around the hinge pins 44 and 47 by means of the radial holding pin 48. The free ends 53 of the springs 52 bear against the outer face of the blades 33 and 34 respectively. Any suitable means for accomplishing this result is contemplated.

The spring loading or adjustment of the tension on the hinge pins 44 and 47 is accomplished by gripping a wrench or pliers to the flat surfaces 54 at one end of the hinge pins 44 and 47 and moving the pins axially outward to disengage the T-shape opposite ends 55 of the pins from the slots 56 in the outward faces of the lands 42 and 45 respectively. The pins are rotated against the spring ends 52 until the desired tension is obtained at which time the pins are moved axially in the opposite direction to engage and receive the T-shape ends 55 in suitable slots 56 to hold the tension.

As shown in FIG. 3 the sculling device is shown in the neutral position with the handle lever 30 in approximately the horizontal position. At the inboard end of the tiller level 30 is a suitable gripping handle 57 and at the opposite or outboard end is a hole 58. The linkage for the movement of the mechanism is provided by a rod 60 secured to a clevis 61 which is fastened to the outer end of the lever handle 30 through the hole 58 by means ofa nut and bolt, the shank of the bolt acting as the pivot. At the opposite or lower end of the rod 60 another clevis 62 is secured which clevis in turn is pivotally secured to an outwardly extending web 63 extending at right angles from the face of the blade 32 at its mid point. The clevis is secured to the web 63 by means of a nut and bolt with the shank of the bolt act,- ing as the pivot. If the clevises 61 and 62 are preferrably secured to the rod 60 by threaded engagement, with lock nuts 64 provided to maintain the relative positions. It will be noted that the rod 60 is oppositely bent at two points 65 and 66. This is provided to give better clearance and more leverage to the power stroke.

OPERATION The device is securedto the transom of the boat preferably at its mid point, by means of the clamp means 12 and the holding pressure provided by locking means 17. Care should be exercised in having the shaft 14 and the blades 32, 33 and 34 substantially in the same vertical plane which indicates the neutral position and with the blades substantially parallel to the beam of the boat. By means of the set screw 24 the vertical adjustment of the shaft 11 is obtained as it may be raised or lowered within the limits of the distance provided, which is between the top surface of the clamp means 12 and the movement of the tiller lever 30. In the deepest adjusted position the slip collar 23 is just below the slots 25 in the shaft ll and in the highest vertical position the upper face 22 of the T-connector l8 bears against the lower face of the clamping means 12. The tiller arm 30 is at right angles to the inboard face of the blades 32, 33 and 34.

In order to scull the boat, the tiller lever 30 is raised approximately 45 pushing the blades 32, 33 and 34 in a forward position of approximately 45 inwardly toward the boat. A full downward stroke on the tiller lever 30 will swing the blade 32 through an arc of approximately on its hinge pin 41. The other blades follow in a straight line because hinging is prevented by the stops 43' and 46'. This gives a full forward thrust to the boat. The side or marginal fins 35, 36 and 37 keep the water from slipping off sideways during this action and theupturned portion 50 of the lower most blade 34 gives a final feathering to the thrust.

On the return or upward pull of the tiller lever 30 the blades 33 and 34 collapse and fold upwardly (no stop is provided in this direction) so as to present the minimum of resisten ce to the water in returning to the position for the power stroke. The movement of returning the blades to the power stroke position is accomplished in much thesame manner as the webbing of a ducks foot. in the power stroke which is moving the blades rearwardly, as a duck extends the webbing of his feet, the blades are extended to their full in line position to bring as much surface as is possible to bear against the water. On the return stroke the webbing of the ducks foot folds to return to the starting position with as little resistance in the water as possible. The power stroke moves the boat forward, and the faster the tiller lever 30 is pumped up and down, thergreater the, thrust will be and the greater the forward speed.

Steering can easily be accomplished by merely moving. the tiller lever 30 in a horizontal arc to rotate the shaft 11 from one side to the other, much the same as in using a rudder.

It will be seen that all of the objects of the present invention are attained in the construction and operation of this mechanism and in so doing fishtailing, especially in connection with small boats, is completely eliminated. Also the operation is noiseless. There is no splashing of water or dipping of oars or sculling in the usual sense. The movement of the water to propel the craft is under water and surface noises and telltail movements are all but eliminated.

I claim:

1. In a sculling mechanism for boats to be secured appropriately thereon, a vertical shaft, means rotatably mounting said shaft and for securing the assembled mechanism to the boat, a transverse member secured to the bottom end of said shaft, blade members hingedly secured to the transverse member and to each other in a sequence, a tiller lever mounted on said shaft adjacent the top thereof and at right angles to said blades for pumping movement in a vertical plane downward for the thrust stroke and upward for the return stroke and for rotating said shaft in a horizontal plane, stops on said blades to provide a continuous unified blade surfaces in the direction of the power or thrust stroke, and linkage means connecting the tiller lever to blades for movement of the blades in the power stroke and in the return stroke in response to said pumping movement.

2. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are biased to maintain a continuous unified surface fo the blades during the power stroke.

3. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are adjustibly spring biased to maintain a continuous unified surface for the blades during the power stroke,

4. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are laterally hinged together, with stops on the inboard surface only to prevent hinging action on the power stroke, but provide free collapsingaction on the return stroke.

5. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are provided with lateral margin rearwardly directed fins to keep the water from passing freely over the side edges thereof.

6. The sculling apparatus of claim 1 where the vertical shaft is mounted for vertical adjustment within the limits of its mounting, for determining the depth of sculling.

7..ln a portable manual sculling device for small boats having a transom at the stern thereof, a clamping bracket for attachment to the transom having a rearward portion extending just beyond the limits of the boat at the point of attachment, a vertical rod rotatably mounted in said rearward portion, a quick release locking means for rapidly adjusting the vertical height of the rod within the said rearward portion without interfering with the rotation of said rod, a T shaped member secured to the lower end of said rod parallel to the beam of a boat, a series of solid plates having inboard and outboard faces hinged together and hinged as a unit to said T shaped member, said solid plates having stops on their inboard faces to prevent hinging move ment as a unit beyond their continuous plane, said plates being biased on their outboard faces to bearly maintain said plates in a continuous plane, and having rearwardly projecting vanes at their respective lateral marginal edges, a tiller arm connected to said rod adjacent the top thereof for rotating said rod, said tiller arm being also pivotally mounted on said rod to provide a limited vertical pumping action, and linkage means connecting the outer end of the tiller arm to the hinged plates to translate the pumping action to the plates. 

1. In a sculling mechanism for boats to be secured appropriately thereon, a vertical shaft, means rotatably mounting said shaft and for securing the assembled mechanism to the boat, a transverse member secured to the bottom end of said shaft, blade members hingedly secured to the transverse member and to each other in a sequence, a tiller lever mounted on said shaft adjacent the top thereof and at right angles to said blades for pumping movement in a vertical plane downward for the thrust stroke and upward for the return stroke and for rotating said shaft in a horizontal plane, stops on said blades to provide a continuous unified blade surfaces in the direction of the power or thrust stroke, and linkage means connecting the tiller lever to blades for movement of the blades in the power stroke and in the return stroke in response to said pumping movement.
 2. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are biased to maintain a continuous unified surface fo the blades during the power stroke.
 3. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are adjustibly spring biased to maintain a continuous unified surface for the blades during the power stroke.
 4. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are laterally hinged together, with stops on the inboard surface only to prevent hinging action on the power stroke, but provide free collapsing action on the return stroke.
 5. The sculling mechanism of claim 1 wherein the blades are provided with lateral margin rearwardly directed fins to keep the water from passing freely over the side edges thereof.
 6. The sculling apparatus of claim 1 where the vertical shaft is mounted for vertical adjustment within the limits of its mounting, for determining the depth of sculling.
 7. In a portable manual sculling device for small boats having a transom at the stern thereof, a clamping bracket for attachment to the transom having a rearward portion extending just beyond the limits of the boat at the point of attachment, a vertical rod rotatably mounted in said rearward portion, a quick release locking means for rapidly adjusting the vertical height of the rod within the said rearward portion without interfering with the rotation of said rod, a T shaped member secured to the lower end of said rod parallel to the beam of a boat, a series of solid plates having inboard and outboard faces hinged together and hinged as a unit to said T shaped member, said solid plates having stops on their inboard faces to prevent hinging movement as a unit beyond their continuous plane, said plates being biased on their outboard faces to bearly maintain said plates in a continuous plane, and having rearwardly projecting vanes at their respective lateral marginal edges, a tiller arm connected to said rod adjacent the top thereof for rotating said rod, said tiller arm being also pivotally mounted on said rod to provide a limited vertical pumping action, and linkage means connecting the outer end of the tiller arm to the hinged plates to translate the pumping action to the plates. 